A Progressive Deficit Reduction Plan

Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Illinois) is a member of the President’s bi-partisan deficit reduction commission.  She does not support the commission’s plan, but released her own plan instead.  Schakowsky recognizes the increasing income and wealth disparity and says that the sacrifices called for in the commission’s plan would not be shared equally.

The Schakowsky plan calls for:

Investing in jobs - The Schakowsky Plan would invest $200 billion into job creation measures over the next two years to jump-start economic growth. Possibilities include the Local Jobs for America Act, funding for infrastructure, education, and law enforcement, extended unemployment insurance, and measures to promote investment in domestic manufacturing and green jobs.

Medicare negotiation with pharmaceutical companies and implementing a public option health care plan.

Cutting military budget, as the Commission does, but not military pay or health care.  This avoids penalizing rank and file military, and instead cuts expensive unneeded weapons systems.

Read the rest of the plan here.  It’s plain there IS an alternative.